Obsession 10

                                    

                                          
Gresha 
                          
Pinahid ko ang pawis na namuo sa aking noo. Tagaktak na ito. Halos limang oras na akong naglilinis sa harden ng mansion.
                          
Masyadong matataas na ang mga damo kaya ginupitan ko ito. Ang ibang ligaw na damo naman ay tinanggal ko. Winalis ko rin ang mga nakakalat na rumi na karamihan ay mga tuyong dahon lang naman. 
                          
Kahit medyo matrabaho ang gawain ay hindi ko magawang mapagod dahil sobra akong namamangha sa ganda ng harden. Iba't ibang klase ng mga bulaklak ang namumukadkad sa paligid. Ang iba nga ay ngayon ko pa lang nakita. Ngunit karamihan sa mga ito ay malalaki at mapupulang rosas.
                          
Hindi ko maiwasang hawakan ang iilang rosas at amuyin ang natural nilang bango. The scent is sweet. Mas gumanda ang harden matapos kong malinis ang ilang bahagi nito.
                          
While I'm busy adoring the blossoms of this garden, I suddenly feel like someone is intently looking at me.
                          
With my instinct, I immediately gaze at the balcony of the third floor of this mansion.
                          
Nagtaka ako ng may makita akong bulto roon ng isang nakatayong tao. Hindi ko alam kong nakaharap ito o nakatalikod sa akin. Napataas ang kilay ko ng sa isang kurap ay bigla na lang itong naglaho.
                          
Posible kayang siya iyon?
                          
Yeah right. Simula ng makapasok ako rito ay hindi ko pa nasisilayan ang amo namin ni Tita Veronica. Nakakulong lang siya palagi sa loob ng kuwarto niya sa third floor. Siguro ang boring naman non. 
                          
Kumalam ang aking sikmura. Nalaman kong 1:00 pm na pala kaya bigla akong nakaramdam ng gutom. Masyado akong nasabik sa paglilinis ng harden.
                          
Habang naglalakad papasok ay ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang pagod sa aking katawan.
                          
Mabilis kong tinungo ang dining room at uminom ng tubig. Pumunta ako sa malaking mesa at binuksan ang pagkaing inihanda ko kanina. Kadalasan kasi ay sinasabay ko nang magluto ng agahan at pananghalian total mag-isa lang naman ako. It also helps me maximize my cleaning time.
                          
Bigla akong nagtaka ng malaman kong wala na rito ang tinakpan kong pagkain kanina. Nasaan na 'yon? Ito yung unang beses na basta basta na lang nawala ang pagkaing iniwan ko rito. Wala naman akong napansin na alagang pusa o kahit anong hayop na maaaring kumain 'non.
                          
"Sino naman ang kumain non?" bagot kong sabi.
                          
"It's me." Bigla akong napaayos ng tayo ng may magsalita sa aking likuran. Isang napakalalim na panlalaking boses.
                          
Marahan akong humarap sa kanya at unang sumalubong sa akin ay ang kulay asul niyang mga mata.
                          
This is my second time seeing him. The first wasn't a good encounter.
                          
Bigla na namang may kung anong kumabog sa kaloob-looban ko kaya napakagat labi ako. What's this feeling? Natatandaan ko na ganito rin ang naramdaman ko noong una ko siyang makita. Siguro dahil sa nag-uumapaw niyang kaguwapohan at kakisigan. I can't see someone as perfect as him on a daily basis, that's why I got this flinching reaction on my stomach.
                          
"Fuck," mahina niyang mura at nagtiim-bagang.
                          
Napabalik ako sa aking huwisyo.
                          
"A-hhh ikaw pala s-sir. Akala ko naman kung sino. Sige po at magluluto na lang ako ulit."
                          
"Check the kitchen," sabi biya at agad na naglaho sa aking harapan.
                          
That was fast.
                          
Nagkibit-balikat na lang ako at tinungo ang kusina tulad ng utos niya.
                          
Nagtaka ako ng makitang may nakasalang sa stove. Mukhang kakatapos pa lang nitong maluto dahil mainit pa ito kahit patay na ang apoy. Binuksan ko ito at agad kong naamoy ang nakakatakam na aroma. 
                          
Napangiti ako. 
                          
Si sir ba ang nagluto nito? Para sa akin?
                          
Wow. Bakit naging assuming ako bigla? Makakain na nga. Baka gutom lang ito.

                          
[ Caldrix ]
                          
"Veronica, at least get a gardener or anyone from town to do the job. I don't wanna fucking see her again plucking and plowing the garden under the sun."
                          
"As you command, King Caldrix. Muli ay ipagpaumanhin ninyo na hindi ko masyadong napagtutuonan ang mga ginagawa niya. Sana ay napigilan ko pa siyang magtrabaho sa labas ng mansiyon."
                          
"Tss." 
                          
I immediately leave her at the library. She's been busy studying about lot of stuff. Though she's just following what I commanded her to do so.
                          
I got furious after seeing my sweet Gresha working outside the mansion earlier. She shouldn't work at all.
                          
I should let her experience the most comfortable and perfect life, but damn this situation we're currently in. I can do nothing but to only watch her from a distance.
                          
And it's driving me crazy. She's driving me insane.
                          
The proximity between us feels like several miles away. I want to pull her closer to me. I want to imprison her on my arms where she truly belongs.
                          
But I just can't fucking do it. I gritted my teeth out of frustration. I don't want to scare her. 
                          
I've been searching for her for almost eighteen years, and if she'll run away from me again, it will be the death of me.
                          
I silently lean on a wall where I can freely see her eating the dish I personally prepared for her. I got a warm feeling when I notice how she's eating it with passion. 
                          
This is often the scenario --- me looking at her from afar.
                          
I couldn't believe how she grew up into a fine lady. But after knowing what she had gone through the past years, I couldn't help but to get angry of myself. I should be on her side those times she were down to rubbles. I shouldn't have let her go in the first place.
                          
But everything has already happened. I should just be grateful that she's here with me finally. She will never be alone again.
                          
"Don't worry my Gresha, I'm here now," I whispered through the air.
                          
Just like everytime I whisper her name, she automatically examines her surrounding to see if someone is looking at her. It might be giving her chills. She continued eating after realizing that there was none.
                          
My sight is fixed on her necklace when it's exposed unintentionally. She's always hiding it under her shirt. But maybe because she had done several chores earlier, her necklace came out without her knowing.
                          
The King's Seal. That's the name of that necklace. 
                          
It's a resistance to our bond. A barrier. And until now, it's a total mystery why on hell I am feeling like this towards her even she's wearing the King's Seal.